this is something that the secretary of defense has the power to do on his own authority. but most senators have no interest in that. in this rape crisis in the american military and they wasted their time today talking about policy questions that have nothing to do with being secretary of defense. joining me now alex wagner and eugene robinson. >> alex, in our military today, women are actually putting their lives at risk simply bien listing. and we have to sit there today and watch the senators wander all over today about policies that have nothing to do with being secretary of defense when they have this crime crisis right in front of them. >> the reasons for that are two-fold. one is violence perpetrated against women have been ignored by the congress of recent years. the violence against women act has not been renewed. plenty of republican folks running for congress had a robust and totally unthennered to reality conversation about rape or protecting women. in some way it is sort of understandable i guess or ignoring issues pertaining to issues and their health. i thi